Song Description

Ray Stevens style comedy song about a loser who goes to a psychiatrist to get some personal insight only to find out he was much happier before he discovered out who he really was.

Lyrics

?I Liked Myself Better, Before I Knew Who I Was?
Words & Music by George ?Stoney? Sloan
Tel: 480-968-6199 ext. 226
email: sloan@usasn.com
©2003 George A. Sloan

(Intro :04 seconds ? total time 3:09)

(Verse 1) One day, as I talked to some ol' gal, I must of really shocked her,
Cause she turned to me and yelled aloud, "Buddy, you need to see a doctor!"
I said, "Ma?am, I never have been sick. I've never even had a hiccup."
She said, "I don't mean you need a physical, you need a checkup from the neck up."

(Verse 2) So I went to see a psychiatrist to find out what makes me tick.
He said I suffered from delusions and that I was really sick!
I'd always thought myself quite "on-the-ball," charming and really "with it."
He claimed I had a split personality so he sent two bills for every visit.

(Chorus) Oh, I liked myself better before I knew who I was.
Discoverin' who you really are ? that's what a psychiatrist does.
I thought before that I was miserable, but now I'm worse because,
I liked myself better before I knew who I was.

(Verse 3) He called me schizophrenic and every shrink name from A to Z,
And that I had a "rejection complex" and "paranoiac tendencies."
I asked, "What's all this mean in layman terms?" He paused and stroked his beard.
"Well," he said, "To put it very bluntly, it means that you are weird!"

(Verse 4) One day, as I lay there on the couch in an apprehensive mood,
He said "It's time we do an examination to find out your aptitudes."
Well, after several hours of interrogation, probing and abuse,
He said, "Looks like you have a mechanical mind ? too bad the screws are loose!"

(Chorus) Oh, I liked myself better before I knew who I was.
Discoverin' who you really are ? that's what a psychiatrist does.
I thought before that I was miserable, but now I'm worse because,
I liked myself better before I knew who I was.

(Verse 5) Well, this intense analysis went on and on ? winter, spring, summer and fall ?
And I knew at times my psychiatrist felt like climbin' up the wall.
In fact, after several months, he began to shake, pull his hair and slouch,
He let out a primal scream, pushed me aside, and he laid on the couch.

(Verse 6) Now through all this, I've tried to stay calm and keep things in perspective,
And not believe everything I've been told by this psychopathic detective.
And I've come up with a firm conclusion of my own determination,
That, anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have a ?head examination!?

(Chorus) Oh, I liked myself better before I knew who I was.
Discoverin' who you really are ? that's what a psychiatrist does.
I thought before that I was miserable, but now I'm worse because,
I liked myself better before I knew who I was.


(There are 5 additional verses not included on the demo.)